MULTILATERAL: Monetary Reviews & more – 30th Sep 2025

Saluton from BA! This is the Rorshok Multilateral Update from the 30th of September twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the world's major multilateral institutions.

First up this week, on Sunday the 28th, as Russia unleashed a twelve-hour wave of missiles and drones on Ukraine, NATO scrambled fighter jets to monitor the skies and protect nearby member states. Poland and other allies raised their air defenses, bracing for potential spillover from the strikes.

In more news on Russia, on Friday the 26th, the U.N. Security Council rejected a proposal from Russia and China to delay restoring sanctions on Iran. Their idea would’ve pushed back reimposing penalties tied to Iran’s nuclear activities by six months, but it didn’t get the nine votes needed. Iran’s president denounced the decision as unfair and illegal.

In contrast, on Monday the 29th, the EU reimposed a series of penalties on Iran after concluding it repeatedly stepped back from its twenty fifteen nuclear commitments. These measures include freezing assets in Iranian banks, banning certain officials from travel, and blocking Iran from buying oil or gold, as well as restricting naval and military-related trade. Still, EU leaders say they’ve left room for diplomacy, hoping Iran will engage rather than double down on defiance.

European tensions with Iran have revolved around its nuclear program, regional activities, and human rights issues. The EU supported the twenty fifteen nuclear deal but faced friction after the U.S. withdrawal and Iran’s expanded enrichment. Sanctions, drone supplies to Russia, and crackdowns on protests further strained relations.

Back to the UN for a bit, on Tuesday the 23rd, US President Donald Trump used his General Assembly speech to slam the United Nations for failing to support the U.S.-led peace deals and even said it’s generating fresh global headaches. He criticized the body sharply over migration and its role in the world, though he also said the U.S. still backs its mission.

Specifically, Trump dismissed climate change as a hoax and called Russia a paper tiger while warning against buying its energy. He touted his own administration’s record in resolving conflicts and criticized European nations over energy and immigration policies. Trump has often said he believes that European nations allow too many migrants in and have not done enough to become independent of Russian energy.

Shifting gears, on Monday the 22nd, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger officially walked away from the International Criminal Court, accusing it of bias and outside meddling. These Sahel nations have all experienced recent military takeovers, with juntas now running the governments while grappling with violent insurgencies and strained relations with Western partners.

Critics warn this weakens accountability for abuses, while supporters argue they should be trusted to manage their own justice systems.

In finance news, on Thursday the 25th, the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, and Honduras struck a staff-level deal to complete the fourth financial review. If the IMF’s board approves it, Honduras would receive about $120 million US dollars. The country’s economy is holding up well, with steady growth, stable inflation, and growing international reserves. Authorities are under pressure to maintain fiscal discipline, push through structural reforms, and boost transparency.

On Wednesday the 24th, the Inter-American Development Bank announced that it will help finance a $10 million US dollar project to boost Jamaica’s defenses against cyber threats. Most of the funding comes from the bank and the rest from Jamaica itself. The program will focus on strengthening government institutions, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and training local experts to respond to attacks more effectively.

With more than 34 million attempted cyberattacks reported in the first half of twenty twenty-five alone, officials see this investment as vital to keeping systems secure and building long-term digital resilience.

In innovation, on Monday the 29th, the International Labour Organization or ILO announced it is backing Laos in using digital tools to expand social protection. Working with the Lao Social Security Organization and supported by China-Lao cooperation, the ILO has helped design a mobile app that connects citizens, especially in rural and informal sectors, to essential services.

The app is meant to improve access to these social protection services particularly in rural or underserved areas. It will allow both members and the general public to access information and services via their mobile devices. The app will integrate with existing public service systems, databases, and social protection schemes. Currently in the testing phase, it is scheduled for rollout later this year.

In some exciting news on the environment, on Thursday the 25th, the UN Development Programme, together with Brazil’s COP30 Presidency, launched Maloca, a digital platform designed to open climate discussions to a much wider audience. The tool will let governments, civil society groups, local communities, and individuals organize and attend events virtually, without being limited by geography. Built with AI translation across seven languages, Maloca can support thousands of parallel sessions in different virtual spaces.

Brazil’s COP30 presidency will mean that the country will host and lead the twenty twenty-five UN climate summit. As president, Brazil will shape the agenda, guide negotiations, and highlight its priorities, such as forest protection, climate justice, implementation of past climate pledges, inclusion of Indigenous voices, and innovation. Its role is to bring governments, civil society, and private actors together to turn commitments into action, especially with a focus on the Amazon.

On the flip side, on Tuesday the 23rd, the UN Environment Program warned that conflict in Gaza has caused severe environmental damage with direct consequences for people’s health.

The Program is reporting widespread soil and water contamination, destroyed sewage systems, and possible toxic debris spread across the territory. Marine pollution is also suspected but remains hard to track. These conditions have already fueled outbreaks of illnesses like diarrhea and hepatitis A.

The organization stressed the urgent need for cleanup, restoration of essential services, and systematic testing to limit long-term risks to both communities and ecosystems.

On that note about health, on Thursday the 25th, the World Health Organization decided which flu strains will go into the formula of the vaccines for the twenty twenty-six season in the Southern Hemisphere. They also said that one of the old strains isn’t needed anymore, so most vaccines will drop it. The goal is to make sure shots match the flu viruses expected to spread next year.

Speaking of vaccines, on Tuesday the 23rd, UNICEF rushed nearly 45,000 Ebola vaccine doses into the Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, working with local health authorities to protect children and communities. Since the recent Ebola outbreak that began in early September, there have been about fifty cases, either suspected or confirmed, twenty deaths, and more than 1,000 contacts under monitoring.

UNICEF is also helping with medical care, hygiene reinforcement in schools and clinics, ensuring cold-chain vaccine transport, and providing psychosocial support and child protection services in the region.

For our final story this week, on Thursday the 25th, at the UN General Assembly’s 80th session, the Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, joined forces with the Harlem Globetrotters to shine a spotlight on youth leadership in agrifood systems. Their panel, Fueling the Future: Hoops, Agrifood Systems & Youth-Driven Change, showed how sports, culture, and policy can come together to inspire change.

In this setting, culture meant using the power of sports and entertainment to connect with young people and spark their imagination, while policy referred to the concrete actions governments and institutions must take to create fair opportunities, provide resources, and include youth in decision-making.

The conversation emphasized that young people, especially in low-income countries, need both inspiration and structural support to lead the transformation toward food security and more sustainable agrifood systems, aligning with the FAO’s broader agenda of inclusion and resilience.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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